In reference to the Moody Blues and the "Had to be
there" commentary:
I would like to take this opportunity to point out
that attitudes toward music (listening, writing,
recording) have changed radically over the years in so
many ways.
Generally, music prior to the 90's was taken far more
seriously. That is to say that one was able to be
overly dramatic or cause-oriented and still be taken
in earnest. In the 60's and 70's (and for a big hunk
of the 80's) music was going to save the world. It
was a huge industry, communicating many ideas and
views, and the industry itself provided tremendous
power to back up these concepts. Come the 90's and
the grunge era, irony became the cool new thing. If a
band took themselves too seriously, they were
dismissed as pretentious and that continues to this
day, even more so.
Today, everything has to be taken with a grain of
salt. If you preach, you alienate your audience. If
you emote too readily or fervently, your crowd becomes
uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassed. I love the
Moody Blues, all of it, and I'm often embarrassed by
my love for them nowadays. But I'm a recordist, so it
often gets me by in times when I tell folks that Abba
were brilliant or that the 1st Boston album is one of
the finest recorded albums to come out in decades.
Not so cool, but I don't care and why should I?
These attitudes are especially pronounced with older
prog and metal. Original fans BELIEVED in these bands
and their message. Now the kids listen to the early
King Crimson and find it ponderous and silly, or Ozzy
and find him hysterical, as I'm sure we all do to some
degree. It's all part of a process of becoming
guarded in our opinions due to an overly critical,
conceptually intelligent listenership looking to be
into what's hip. It's funny how people demand honesty
in music, yet contradict that need so obliviously with
needless posturing. We live and create in odd times,
for sure.
That said, Happy New Year!
-Jack
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